Edina Girls Athletic Association - Recreational Sports for Girls in Edina

Flag Football is an outgrowth of touch football. It is strenuous exercise, affording the opportunity to know and understand the regulation game of football. The modified rules lessen the danger of injury: and as the name indicates, the ball carrier is stopped by an opponent pulling the flag rather than touching or tackling. Tennis shoes or rubber cleats may be worn. No metal cleats will be allowed.

Basic Rules

1. Equipment
   1. Playing field – 40 yards wide x 80 yards long.
   2. Ball– junior sized football.
   3. Uniform – official jersey (tucked in). Jeans or sweatpants (no shorts, no red or yellow colored pants).
   4. No earrings, jewelry, or plastic head bands.
   5. No casts (including finger casts and splints).
2. Practices
   Practices are unlimited up to the first game of the season and then limited to one practice per week.
3. Length of Game
   1. Periods – Two, twenty minutes running halves with a three minute rest between halves. Time keepings handled by the referees.
   2. Stop Time
      1. Fourth down situations
      2. Two minute warning.
      3. Injuries.
      4. Time-outs – each team is allowed two time-outs each half.
      5. The last two minutes of the game should be runstop time. Time will be stopped for incomplete passes, running out of bounds, touch downs, or safeties.
4. Scoring
   1. Touchdown – a run or completed pass over the goal line. 6 points.
   2. Extra Point – a ball is placed on the 3 yard line after a touch down and only one play is run from the line of scrimmage. A ball passed or run over the goal line earns 1 point.
   3. Safety – the player in possession of the ball has her flag pulled behind her own goal line. 2 points. After a safety is scored, the team in possession (the team scored against) takes the ball out to the 20 yard line, it is then kicked off by the team scored against and kicked to the team that scored the 2 points.
5. Playing Regulations
   1. Starting the Game
      1. The winner of a coin toss decides whether the team will take possession of the ball at the start of the game or at the start of the second half. The losing team determines which goal to defend.
      2. The team starts play from own 20 yard line. **no kick-off**. Same is true after touch down is scored.
      3. Referees are responsible for calling game due to inclement weather or unsafe conditions.
   2. Line Ups
      1. Less than four players will be a forfeit.
      2. No more than seven players on the field at once.
      3. Offense must have at least three linemen on each play.
      4. A maximum of two rushers on defense.
   3. Mandatory Playing Time
      1. Each player attending a game shall be assured:
         1. Being assigned a defensive or offensive spot and will start the game at one of those assigned positions.
         2. Playing at least ½ the plays from scrimmage, be it defense, offense, or both positions. (Note:kick-offs, kick-off returns and extra point plays do not constitute a play from scrimmage).
            1. This rule must be adhered to provided the player attends practice, displays an attitude of sportsmanship, and is physically healthy to play. This rule should be communicated to players and parents.
            2. Any coach not adhering to this rule, contingent to the offensive and defensive balance of the game situation, will result in a forfeiture of that individual game.
   4. Quarterbacks – may throw the ball, may run with the ball, may hand-off the ball and all forward passes must be from behind the line of scrimmage.
   5. Fumbled ball – at any time is dead. The point at which the ball hits the ground becomes the line of scrimmage for the next play. The ball belongs to the team that fumbled. On a punt the receiver must have control of the ball and be making forward progress before a fumble can occur. Ono a punt the receiving team cannot los possession of the ball. If the ball is touched and dropped by the receiving team it is a dead ball.
   6. Downed ball – the ball is dead and the player downed when an opponent pulls of the ball carrier’s flag.
   7. Interceptions – can be run back.
   8. First down – advancing ball from one zone to the next (any 20 yard chalk line) in four or less down attempts. If failed, the ball goes to opponent at that spot.
   9. Rushers- only two rushers at any given time, unless the quarterback runs forward with the ball of after the quarterback hands off to another runner.
   10. Passing
       1. All players on both teams are eligible to catch passes.
       2. Forward passes may be thrown from any point back of the line of scrimmage, and lateral passes may be thrown anywhere on the playing field.
       3. Any number of passes may be thrown in a series of downs.
       4. Incomplete pass – a pass not caught by the receiver or intercepted. It is not a fumble.
          1. When a forward pass is incomplete, a new down is called and ball is put back in play at the line of scrimmage.
          2. When a lateral pass is incomplete, a new down is called with the line of scrimmage being the point at which the ball hit the ground. A dead ball fumble
       5. Fourth down situations
          Once the coach of the team declares to punt or go for the first down, the team or coach may not change that decision.
       6. Punt – the ball may be punted from scrimmage on this play. The team receiving the punt cannot rush the punter by running toward her. A punt cannot be a place or a drop kick. The ball must be punted before it hits the ground. On a punt, at least two players must be behind the line of scrimmage.
       7. Ball Carrier’s flag – if a carrier’s flag falls off while running with the ball and the flag was not pulled off by the defense, play continues until the defense touches the ball carrier anywhere below the neck and above the knees.
       8. Touchback – not a score. The ball is punted over the opponent’s goal line and not run out of the end zone by the other team. The ball is put in play on the 20 yard line.
       9. Fouls and Penalties – the team not committing the foul may decline if it is to their advantage.
          1. It is a foul to push, shove, trip, hold, or rough another player.
             Penalty: 5 paces from the spot of foul.
          2. Blocking- players may not leave their feet or use their hands in blocking, including open-hand blocking and holding. Two on one blocks allowed only on the line of scrimmage.
             Penalty: 5 paces from the line of scrimmage.
          3. Offsides – advancing beyond the line of scrimmage before the ball is snapped or kicked. Penalty: 5 paces.
          4. Rushing – more than two on any play. Penalty:5 paces.
          5. Pass interference – when defensive players interfere illegally with pass receivers (play receiver rather than the ball i.e. pushing) before the ball is caught. Penalty: legal catch.
          6. Too much time in the huddle – 30 sec. Limit. Penalty: 5 paces.
          7. Coaches on field –any time a coach enters the field of play for any reason, other than due to injury, that team will automatically be charged with a time-out. If this infraction interferes with play, a penalty occurs. Penalty: 5 paces and time-out.
          8. Attempt to steal the ball – a player cannot intentionally attempt to steal the ball from the ball carrier and not go for the flag. Penalty: 5 paces.
          9. Guarding the flag- a ball carrier cannot put her elbows over her flags or in any way attempt to guard her flags. Penalty: Loss of down and 5 paces from the point of the infraction.
          10. Misconduct – 15 paces.
          11. Any ball carrier who, in the discretion of the referee, intentionally runs into a defensive player so that the defense cannot get the ball carrier’s flag, will be ejected from the game. Two infractions of this rule will result in disqualification for the season.
       10. Tie Games – there will be a five-minute sudden death over time with the last two minutes on run-stop time. Flip a coin for choice of receiving or kicking team. There will be only one over time. If after five minutes the game remains tied, it will stand as a tie.
       11. Play-off Ties – sudden death= there will one 20 minute overtime played. Flip a coin for choice of receiving or kicking team.